Kingdom of Italy

Kingdom of Italy
source
Conventional long name	Kingdom of Italy
Native name	Regno d'Italia
Life span	1861–1946
Flag type	Civil and state flag (1861–1946)
Symbol type	Greater coat of arms (1890–1946)
Capital	Turin (1861–1865), Florence (1865–1871), Rome (1871–1946)
Common languages	Italian
Government type	Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy (1861–1922; 1943–1946), Fascist one-party totalitarian dictatorship under a constitutional monarchy (1922–1943)
Title leader	King
Leader1	Victor Emmanuel II
Year leader1	1861–1878
Leader2	Umberto I
Year leader2	1878–1900
Leader3	Victor Emmanuel III
Year leader3	1900–1946
Leader4	Umberto II
Year leader4	1946
Title deputy	Prime Minister
Deputy1	Camillo Benso, Count of Cavour
Year deputy1	1861 (first)
Deputy2	Alcide De Gasperi
Year deputy2	1945–1946 (last)
Era	Late modern / WWI / Interwar / WWII
Event start	Proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy
Date start	17 March
Year start	1861
Event1	Capture of Rome
Date event1	20 September 1870
Event2	March on Rome
Date event2	28–29 October 1922
Event3	Lateran Treaty
Date event3	11 February 1929
Event4	Fall of the Fascist regime in Italy
Date event4	25 July 1943
Event end	Republic referendum
Date end	2 June
Year end	1946
P1	Kingdom of Sardinia
S1	Italian Republic
S2	Free Territory of Trieste
Demonym	Italian
Currency	Italian lira
Stat year1	1861
Stat area1	250320
Stat pop1	21896000
Stat year2	1936
Stat area2	310190
Stat pop2	42918000

Kingdom of Italy. The Kingdom of Italy was a state that existed from 1861, following the Risorgimento and the efforts of figures like Camillo Benso, Count of Cavour and Giuseppe Garibaldi, until 1946, when a popular referendum established the Italian Republic. It was proclaimed under Victor Emmanuel II of the House of Savoy, unifying various states like the Kingdom of Sardinia, the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, and the Papal States. The kingdom was a major participant in World War I and, after the March on Rome, became a Fascist dictatorship under Benito Mussolini before its dissolution after World War II.

History

The kingdom's origins lie in the Wars of Italian Independence, which saw the Kingdom of Sardinia defeat the Austrian Empire with the aid of Napoleon III's Second French Empire. The Expedition of the Thousand, led by Giuseppe Garibaldi, conquered the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies in 1860. Final unification was achieved with the Capture of Rome in 1870, ending the Temporal power of the Holy See. The early decades, known as the Liberal Italy period, were marked by Transformism and challenges like the Southern Question. It joined the Triple Alliance but entered World War I with the Treaty of London. Post-war discontent led to the Biennio Rosso and the March on Rome, bringing the National Fascist Party to power. The regime initiated wars like the Second Italo-Ethiopian War and allied with Nazi Germany, entering World War II. Following the Allied invasion of Sicily and the Fall of the Fascist regime in Italy, the kingdom split during the Italian Civil War, with the Allied Military Government for Occupied Territories controlling the south and the Italian Social Republic in the north.

Government and politics

The state was a constitutional monarchy based on the Albertine Statute, with a Parliament composed of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate. Key political figures included Agostino Depretis, Francesco Crispi, and Giovanni Giolitti. The Acerbo Law and the Lateran Treaty solidified Fascist control and relations with the Holy See. After 1925, the Gran Consiglio del Fascismo became supreme, and the Chamber of Fasces and Corporations replaced parliament. Following the Armistice of Cassibile, the government relocated to Brindisi under King Victor Emmanuel III, while the CLNAI operated in the north.

Economy

The early economy was predominantly agricultural, with industrial growth concentrated in the Industrial Triangle of Milan, Turin, and Genoa. Major firms like FIAT, Pirelli, and Alfa Romeo emerged. The state pursued protectionist policies and invested in railways like the Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane. The Battle for Grain and the Institute for Industrial Reconstruction were key Fascist autarkic projects. The Great Depression impacted the Banca d'Italia and led to the creation of IMI.

Society and culture

The period saw efforts to foster a national identity through institutions like the Dante Alighieri Society and the Royal Italian Academy. Notable cultural figures included composer Giacomo Puccini, writer Gabriele D'Annunzio, and philosopher Benedetto Croce. Futurism, led by Filippo Tommaso Marinetti, was influential. The regime promoted Fascist culture through organizations like the Opera Nazionale Balilla and controlled media via the Ministry of Popular Culture. Cinema flourished with Cinecittà and directors like Roberto Rossellini.

Military

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